Five Steps To Healing a Headache

April 6, 2016

Whether they come on every now and again, or blight you on a regular basis, headaches are never fun to deal with.

However help is at hand, with Olivia Murphy from nutritional website Inner Me explaining how you can cure your own head pain in five easy steps. Her guide is especially suited to those who don’t like to reach for painkillers.

Identify your Trigger Foods

Number one on Olivia’s list is finding out which foods trigger a headache. Much like a migraine, certain foods are known to bring a headache on.

Aged cheese, smoked fish, red wine, figs, and some beans are also known as triggers thanks to the amino acid Tyramine.

Olivia suggests keeping a food diary to identify triggers, and also listening to your body. However, do not cut out certain foods because they work for a friend. Everyone is different, and learning your individual triggers can save you a lot of future pain.

Up your H2O

“Not drinking enough water is one of the most common causes of headaches,” Olivia said. Many experts believe headaches are caused by the blood vessels in your head becoming narrow in an attempt to regulate your body’s fluid levels. Dehydration caused by alcohol consumption plays a major role in hangover headaches too. Aim to drink 4-6 glasses of water a day, plus herbal teas where you can.

Move more

Getting your blood flowing can help prevent headaches, so it’s important to get up and move around throughout the day. Light stretching, even at your desk, can help too.

“Stretches will help prevent neck and shoulder pain that can cause a blockage of blood supply to your head and create a nagging headache,” Olivia pointed out.

Vitamin deficiency

Your headaches could actually be a symptom of anaemia, which is often caused by a lack of iron, B12 and vitamin C. Make sure your diet is varied and full of all food groups to get the maximum vitamins from your meals. Of course vegetarians and dairy intolerant folk can’t eat everything, so taking vitamin tablets is a smart option.

Bowel health

Those who suffer from poor digestion and IBS may skip meals in a bid to avoid bloating and nausea could inadvertently be giving themselves a headache, as a drop in blood sugar levels can cause head pain. “Try taking a Probiotic to optimise absorption of nutrients in your gut, and Inner Me’s DigeZyme to aid the breakdown of food to eliminate bloating and symptoms of IBS,” Olivia advised.